Sunday, September 18, 2011

Recipe of the Month: Banjan Borani

Banjan Borani: Eggplant with Tomato and Yogurt

After my recent visit to Kabul Night in Schenectady I decided to re-create a fantastic dish I had there - the Banjan Borani - simply, eggplant that's been broiled or fried, then sauteed until sweet and tender with onions, tomatoes and red peppers, and of course, a little spice... delicious!

Heat vegetable spray in a large saucepan until hot. Add the onions and sauté them, stirring occasionally, until light brown, about 20 min. Sprinkle in the turmeric and stir to coat the onions. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring often to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning, until all the water evaporates and the mixture thickens, about 30 min. Keep the sauce warm while you proceed.

Whisk together the yogurt and garlic in a bowl, add about 1 tsp. salt, and set aside.Broil the eggplant: brush the rounds with oil and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil until browned and soft on top, flip them over, brush with more oil, and brown the other side, about 4 min. on each side. Put the cooked eggplant in the tomato sauce. When all the eggplant is in the tomato sauce, hold the handles of the saucepan and shake the pot from side to side until most of the slices are covered with sauce. If you like, remove the pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

To assemble the eggplant, spread one-quarter of the yogurt mixture on the bottom of a deep, flat serving dish or platter. Using a flat spatula, dish out the eggplant and sauce mixture and spread it over the yogurt. Drizzle the rest of the yogurt mixture on top. Sprinkle the dried mint over the yogurt and serve.

About Me

I'm just a girl who appreciates everything culinary, and likes to share my experiences with others who do too - or who just like to read about my eating adventures. So I invite you on my journey of food and wine, and hopeless over-eating...